Rhoda had always wanted to go to Paris to see the Eiffel Tower, the art in the Louvre and the palaces. It was one of the major things on her bucket list. However, she never took any steps to make it come true and it was a longing that she never satisfied. She was content for it to remain a dream and it unfortunately remained an unrealized goal.

Do you have an important dream that you want to achieve? It could be to quit smoking, lose weight, learn to play the guitar, run a 10K, or build a business. Daydreaming about it and not taking any action won’t bring it into reality. Fantasizing may be fulfilling in the moment, but it will leave you feeling empty when it isn’t achieved. Unless you take action, you won’t trigger the Law of Attraction to work on your behalf.

There are many reasons why you may procrastinate and not pursue your dreams. Here are some of the main ones, and what you can do about them.

1. Your dream takes you out of your comfort zone. Your goal means that so much in your life would change that you’re afraid to get started. If you make these massive shifts too quickly, it would upset your world and you’d probably sabotage your own efforts. For instance, almost 70% of lottery winners go broke within a few years of winning. The windfall takes them too far out of what they’re used to.

To overcome this obstacle, establish a long range plan. Create steps that are comfortable for you to take. For instance, if you want to start eating better, don’t overhaul your diet in a week. Start by including more salads. When that gets familiar, eliminate sugar. Work on one piece at a time until you feel comfortable with it, and then add the next step. By taking action, you instruct the Law of Attraction to draw information and opportunities to you.

2. You’re stuck in planning mode. Planning feels like you’re making progress, but it simply delays taking action. I knew an artist who bought brushes, canvas, and paints, but never used them. Gathering the tools triggered the pleasure circuits in her brain. By not painting, she avoided the anxiety of facing a blank canvas. So she got her reward by simply thinking about what she’d do one day.

Preparation is an important part of any goal. But beware of staying in this place too long or you’ll never realize your dream. Pull together a list of things you need, such as tools, knowledge, skills and tasks to complete. Then begin to follow through on them. As you mark the elements off your to-do list, you’ll get a sense of satisfaction. And the Universe will support you by creating synchronicities that help you.
3. Your dream is not immediate enough. The fulfillment of your dream is too far in the future or too overwhelming. For instance, if you want to lose 50 pounds, you could feel like it’s too difficult. You know it’s going to take a significant shift in your behaviors and you won’t see the final result quickly. So you procrastinate on taking action.

You have to fight through inertia to get started. To combat this, instead of focusing on the 50 pounds, take it in 5 pound increments. You can handle losing 5 pounds. When you set that as your goal, you’ll get that sense of fulfillment, and a job well done, when you see the outcome. With any long range goal, create mini-goals that you can accomplish each week. The brain likes to complete things, and bestows a sense of gratification when you do. And the Universe creates new channels for the Law of Attraction to bring benefits into your life.
4. You don’t have enough motivation. The benefits of your dream aren’t strong or clear enough for you to pursue. For instance, you may want to be healthier and fitter, but your desire isn’t powerful enough for you to change your habits or your routine. So you just keep putting it off.

You can build your enthusiasm for your dream by surrounding yourself with things concerning it. If you want to create, spend time in an art store, a museum, gallery or take a class. To start an exercise program, read articles and books about the benefits you’ll achieve. Immerse yourself in the reasons why you want your goal. The energy will grow until you get started.

When you take action, it tells the Universe that you’re serious and ready to move forward. And the Law of Attraction then begins to draw to you what you need for success.

The solution to each one of these reasons is to start working towards your dream. It doesn’t matter how small the step, as long as you’re moving toward your dream. The brain likes to accomplish things. And achieving small goals is every bit as satisfying to the brain as big goals. Don’t procrastinate any longer. The sooner you begin to work toward your dream, the sooner you’ll reap the joy of the results.

AFFIRMATION

I know I can have what I desire through the Power of my Higher Mind. The Universe wants the best for me, and will support my endeavors to create an improvement in my life. As I take the actions necessary to fulfill my dream, I create the channels through which more good flows to me. The Universe rewards my actions with positive and beneficial results.

As a vision strategist, hypnotherapist, and speaker, Linda-Ann Stewart helps women entrepreneurs and small business owners who feel stuck, immobilized and overwhelmed to to get clear, focused and on the fast track to the next level of their business. If you'd like some help to reach your goals, apply for her complimentary "Clarify Your Vision" consultation at http://www.Linda-AnnStewart.com/coaching.shtml

Are you afraid of success? That may seem like a ridiculous question, because most people consciously want success in their endeavors. But being successful can bring change, and some people may not be ready for all that means. When they get close to success, they back away from or sabotage it.

For instance, they turn down an opportunity, justifying it by saying, “It just wasn’t right.” Or they resist or procrastinate taking action that could take them to the next level. They don’t make the phone call or follow up on a lead that could bring them a sale. By default, they stay with what they know, even if it’s uncomfortable. The idea of success stirs up fears that prevent them from moving forward.

What you focus on grows, including fear. The Law of Attraction, instructed by what you’re paying attention to, will attract more of what you don’t want. If you’re feeling inadequate, and that’s why you fear success, the Law of Attraction will draw more opportunities for you to feel that way.

Becoming aware of what you’re doing is the first step to remedying the situation. The next step is to understand what specific fear is prompting your resistance. Only then can you overcome it, recognizing it for the falsehood it is. Here are some of the reasons that could be at the core of your fear of success.

1. Fear of visibility. You avoid calling attention to yourself because of past rejection. For you, appreciation or acknowledgement would be uncomfortable and even threatening. But isn’t being able to share your gifts more important than staying safely hidden in the shadows?

2. Fear of criticism. There’s a difference between criticism and feedback. Criticism has a mean-spirited component to it. It’s never pleasant and chips away at your self-confidence. Whether you succeed or fail, it’s going to attract disapproval from someone. Why not do what you want and deal with the censure on your terms?

3. Fear the envy of others. This is very similar to the fear of criticism. Jealous people will try to belittle you to build up their egos. Generally, their jealousy isn’t about you. It’s more about the person who is trying to tear you down. Holding yourself back isn’t going to help them feel better. You might as well let yourself shine.

4. Fear of the responsibility. Greater success brings greater responsibility, and that can be scary. You may feel that you aren’t capable of handling these extra demands. But as more responsibility comes to you, you grow to meet the challenge. Think of it like a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it becomes.
5. Fear you’re not ready. You may feel you don’t have the skills or competency for the next step. If you wait until you feel ready, your time may never come. There’s always going to be something else to learn or ability to develop. As long as you’re willing to improve your knowledge, you’ll grow into your success.
6. Fear of disappointment. You have an image of what success would look or feel like. Is it better to keep it as a dream rather than risk it not living up to your expectations? If it doesn’t, you’ll still have gained so much more than you have now. You’ll have learned how to achieve that success, and apply it to a new dream.

7. Fear of what else could change in your life. You may be concerned about how much time you’ll have to devote to your success. Or uneasy that your lifestyle might be turned upside down. You will have to let go of mental and physical habits that have outlived their usefulness. But you’ll still be in control of your choices. If you don’t like what has changed, you can always make different decisions.

All these fears bring old ideas about yourself to the surface, such as unworthiness, incompetence, or incapability. Being successful would mean that these concepts are false, and you’d have to shift your self-image. This is a massive change in itself. That could be the core of all the anxiety you experience. The Universe believes in you and created you to be successful.

Once you have identified what you’re specifically afraid of, it no longer controls you. You can take measures to overcome the fear. Refuse to allow it to hold you back any longer. Forge ahead and claim the success that’s always been waiting for you.

AFFIRMATION:
The Universe believes in me and created me to be successful. I believe in myself and my capabilities. Infinite Intelligence will guide and direct me, bringing me whatever I need to be successful. With the help of the Universe, I can handle whatever comes up. I am now ready to let go of my fears and accept the help and the confidence of the Universe.

As a vision strategist, hypnotherapist, and speaker, Linda-Ann Stewart helps women entrepreneurs and small business owners who feel stuck, immobilized and overwhelmed to to get clear, focused and on the fast track to the next level of their business. If you'd like some help to reach your goals, apply for her complimentary "Clarify Your Vision" consultation at http://www.Linda-AnnStewart.com/coaching.shtml

VideoComments Off on Guided Meditation to Open the Door to Your Next Step

Jun132018

Do you have a dream or vision you want to accomplish? If so, you’ll have to change your behaviors and beliefs to get to the next step towards it. Do you know what those changes might be? Your inner self knows what they are. Join me for this guided meditation to discover what it is you need to do to get to your next step.

Transcript:
I’m Linda-Ann Stewart, Heartvision Consulting, vision strategist, hypnotherapist, speaker. Do you have a dream or a vision you want to achieve? It could be personal, such as reducing weight or developing a talent, or it could be professional, such as building your business or getting a promotion.

Whatever it is, you may have unsuccessfully tried various tactics to get to the next step towards it. You may have done more of what you’re doing now, and it hasn’t worked. That’s because what you’ve done to get to where you are now won’t help you to get to the next step.

That takes some thinking about, doesn’t it? To take the next step along your journey, you have to upgrade your thoughts, behaviors, decisions and habits. You can’t just do more of the same or, “If you always do what you’ve always done, (you know the rest) you’ll always get what you’ve always gotten.” Right?

So what do you need to do differently to get to the next step along your way? That’s what I want to help you discover with this video. Because you have everything within you that you need to get to that next level. You just haven’t uncovered it yet.

I’d like to share a short meditation that can begin opening doors to the answers you seek. Even if you don’t get anything specific during this meditation, you’re asking your deepest self, subc, some questions. And it doesn’t like unanswered questions. Its role is to creatively find solutions. So just asking the questions will start to open doors within you.

If you don’t want to participate in the meditation, just keep your eyes open and listen to my questions. Don’t try to answer them consciously. Just keep an open mind. If you want to join in the meditation, close your eyes now. Take a deep breath.

What do you truly want in your life? Think about it, in specific, in detail. Imagine being at the next step to getting there. How does your life look like at this next step? How does it feel? Imagine being in that position in the future, at the next step…. and imagine looking back to where you are now. What have you changed to get to that next step? What have you let go of or shifted? How have your beliefs and attitudes changed?

How would someone at that level think… what would they do… what decisions would they make? From that position, what would you tell the current you about what you did to get there? From that position, what insight or understanding do you want to share with your current self to help move you forward?

Return to your current self and life, bringing with you the insight and knowledge you were given. Remembering how it felt to have made it to the next level of your journey. Open your eyes.

Just asking these questions will start your subconscious working on the issue. Pay attention to any insights that come to you. Once you focus on where you want to go, it signals the subconscious to pay more attention to anything that might be pertinent. You may have an opportunity come your way that you would have ignored before. But because you’re willing to move forward, you recognize it now.

Thank you for watching and spending time with me. There is a way for you to get to your dream. You won’t be able to make the leap to it all at once. But you can take incremental steps to take you up the ladder to accomplishing it. And being open to making the changes necessary will get you there so much faster. Take care.

When Stella started her business, she sought out the low hanging fruit, just to get some traction and income. She accepted the easiest to find and most convenient customers. But she got stuck in a rut with those customers, who didn’t respect her time. Even after her business was established, they called at all hours of the day and night for minor issues. They insisted on her going out of her way to serve them and wanted special treatment. As she got more successful, they continued to demand an unreasonable amount of time, attention and resources.

To take her business to the next level, Stella knew she needed to expand and seek customers elsewhere. She decided to work with people who weren’t as demanding and would respect what her service provided. But first, she had to let go of her attitude that her business was still just starting up. She had to recognize her original customers wouldn’t be her only ones.

When she did, her confidence improved and she attracted the customers she wanted. She also set some boundaries with her earlier customers to free up some time for the new ones. Her business flourished and her stress diminished.

Are you ready to take the next step of your life? Do you want to change a habit, take your business up a notch or improve your relationships? If so, you’ll have to change the mindset and behaviors that have put you where you are today. Your old behaviors won’t take you up the ladder of success. It’s not to say they’re bad. They’re not. They got you to where you are now. But they won’t take you any further towards your dreams.

Those old beliefs and actions served you in the past. They helped you survive, if not thrive. But they’ve outlived their usefulness. To take the next step and to improve your circumstances, you have to upgrade your self-image, decisions and habits. Otherwise, “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always gotten.” You can’t just increase what you’re doing. Most of the time, to progress, you’ll need a combination of both mindset and and behavior shifts.

Your old ideas have attracted your current conditions. They have limited what the Law of Attraction could create for you. When you let go of the outdated beliefs and establish new ones, the Law of Attraction can draw new circumstances to you that fill and reflect your new attitudes.

For instance, if you have had a series of unsatisfactory relationships, it’s time to consider what you need to change. Do you need to be more sensitive of others and treat others better? If so, it’s time to change your attitude towards people and be more courteous and respectful. However, if you’ve been the one who hasn’t been treated well, then insist on better treatment. Realize that you deserve to be respected and appreciated.

If friends consistently take advantage of you, set some boundaries and say, “No.” The same is true in business for those customers who demand an inordinate amount of attention. This is especially true after your business has stabilized. If they object, then let them go and let others serve them. They’ll create a space for new customers. As you implement new policies, tactics and behaviors, the world responds in new ways.

If you want to positively impact your lifestyle, you have to change what you’ve been doing. To improve your fitness, you can’t just do more of what you’ve been doing. You need to switch things up and include other types of exercise.

Suppose you want to reduce weight permanently, you have to alter your relationship with food. If you lose the weight, but go back to your original behaviors, you’ll gain it back again. When you want to change your life, it means you have to leave your familiar ways behind.

Shifting your attitudes to move to a new level opens your mind to more Universal Good. All the Good has been waiting for you to access it, but your beliefs have prevented you from doing so. Now, you’re creating the space for more of It to flow into your life.

Each step along the way, it’s important to assess if what you’re thinking and doing is effective for you in the present. Is it opening the door to the next step or keeping you where you are? What new beliefs, attitudes, behaviors, tactics or skills do you need to develop? To achieve your goals, you may need to shift your priorities or focus.

Life isn’t static. It’s always changing. There are always new circumstances and opportunities that emerge. If you want your life to improve, you have to be willing to change. Because the beliefs and tactics that got you here, won’t help you to fulfill your vision. You’ll have to upgrade your beliefs and tactics to reach that next level.

Affirmation:
I now release any old beliefs that have held me from reaching my goals and dreams. The Universe is always available to me to help me and deliver more Good to me. I’m willing to make all the necessary changes to take my next step, to reach the next level. As I do, the Universe makes my path easy and smooth.

As a vision strategist, hypnotherapist, and speaker, Linda-Ann Stewart helps women entrepreneurs and small business owners who feel stuck, immobilized and overwhelmed to to get clear, focused and on the fast track to the next level of their business. If you'd like some help to reach your goals, apply for her complimentary "Clarify Your Vision" consultation at http://www.Linda-AnnStewart.com/coaching.shtml

Are you believing the excuses you’re telling yourself? These are the reasons why you aren’t going after what it is you want or taking an action that will move your forward to your dream. You may think that it’s a valid reason, but generally, it’s not. It’s simply a way to keep you in your comfort zone and from doing something that makes you uncomfortable. Learn how you can stop believing your excuses and start creating ones that support your goals.

Transcript:

Are you believing the excuses you’re telling yourself? These are the reasons why you aren’t going after what it is you want or taking an action that will move you forward to a goal or dream. You may think that it’s a valid reason, but generally, it’s not. It’s simply a way to keep you in your comfort zone and from doing something that makes you uncomfortable.

I’ve been a hypnotherapist for almost 30 years. Clients came to me to create change in their lives. They might want to stop smoking, lose weight, feel better about themselves, or reduce their stress, and they hadn’t been able to do it on their own. And much of those reasons were because the things that they were telling themselves about it. So one of my tasks was to de-hypnotize them of those incorrect/false beliefs. Think about that. And many of those beliefs were wrapped in excuses. I’d like to touch on how you can stop believing your excuses so you can have a freer, happier and more successful life.

I’m Linda-Ann Stewart, Heartvision Consulting. I’m a vision strategist and help women entrepreneurs align their heart with their vision. As a hypnotherapist and coach, I’ve helped clients achieve their goals. Now, as a vision strategist coach, I help women entrepreneurs who are stuck, scattered and tired of being run ragged by their business to align their heart with their vision, get clear, focused and accelerate their business to the next level.
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One of the things I do is help them to recognize their excuses and what they’re believing that’s holding them in that self-sabotaging feedback loop. It’s the same type of cycle you get into when you find yourself making excuses why you don’t…. go to the gym, refuse that cookie, make that follow up phone call, finish your project on time, stand up for yourself …. Fill in the blank. Those excuses become self-fulfilling prophecies.

You tell yourself why you can’t do something/aren’t doing it this time. If you keep telling yourself that same idea, it becomes a belief, and then becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Without realizing it, you’re making sure that belief becomes true, which just confirms it for you. That’s the feedback loop you have to de-hypnotize yourself from and break.

For instance, I had a client come in to reduce stress. One of her complaints was that she didn’t have enough time and get everything done in her work. That’s a common enough complaint, isn’t it? Do you have it? There’s so much to do that we just run out of time and energy to get it all done, right? And you can’t do anything about that, right? Time is finite, right? Well… that’s a belief. And believing it means that your actions will make it into a reality. Bear with me.

My client and I worked to deal with some of her issues to reduce stress and this was one of the big ones. I gave her the suggestion that she was able to get twice as much done in half the amount of time. A bit of an exaggeration, but… she found that she got creative. She figured out how to ditch some of the things she really didn’t need to be concerned with and how to streamline others. Within a short time, my client was able to get all her work done with time to spare.

What excuses are you turning into beliefs and making real? What are you preventing yourself from having? The mind is very creative when you give it a goal, whether that idea is good, bad or indifferent. Belief becomes a goal. With my client, we just had to de-hypnotize her of the false belief and then get her mind focused on a new idea so it would figure out how to make it real.

For you to overcome your excuses, you have be become aware of them. Notice what you tell yourself whenever you’re avoiding something, or telling yourself “I can’t.” Those are 2 signs of an excuse coming on. Confront and challenge your excuse. Why do you think it’s true? When might it not be true? What can you do to undo it?

These are all things that I help a client with. But you can do it for yourself. When you de-hypnotize yourself of false beliefs, and start to focus on ones you want to be true, you’ll make them real. It takes some dedication, stay focused, but you can do it.

As a vision strategist, hypnotherapist, and speaker, Linda-Ann Stewart helps women entrepreneurs and small business owners who feel stuck, immobilized and overwhelmed to to get clear, focused and on the fast track to the next level of their business. If you'd like some help to reach your goals, apply for her complimentary "Clarify Your Vision" consultation at http://www.Linda-AnnStewart.com/coaching.shtml

Do you have a goal or dream, but aren’t acting on it or are spinning your wheels? Then something is missing in its inception. If you’re missing a key element, then you won’t be able to be successful. Learn the 3 key elements to check for if you’re stuck and how they’ll help you when they’re present.

Transcript:
Have you set a goal or have a dream, but aren’t doing anything to make it happen? Maybe you are taking action, but you’re just spinning your wheels with it. If either of these is the case, then you’re missing some element that is keeping you in stuck. You may need to check to make sure you have a firm foundation to build on.

The main elements to address when you’re stuck or spinning your wheels are: your vision, your mindset about your vision, and the plan you use to carry out your vision. If any one of these are unclear, undefined or missing, then you won’t be able to successfully move forward.

1st lets take your vision. This is what you want and where you’re going. It needs to be clear and defined. When you have a clear vision, it attracts the right strategies for you to follow, even when you initially don’t know how you’re going to fulfill it.

Our 2nd element is your mindset. This isn’t just about being positive and optimistic. Any negative beliefs about your vision, or attitudes that undermine your motivation will trip you up. When your mindset supports your vision, then your subconscious scans your environment to seek out information and opportunities to further your success.

The 3rd element is your plan. Some people leap into action, without considering whether that action will take them in the direction of their vision. A plan is necessary, as is the follow through with the plan. Actions need to be targeted and consistent, because inconsistent or haphazard actions create inconsistent or haphazard results. This leads to a feast or famine cycle in life or business. For consistent results, perform consistent, targeted actions.

If you’re not having the success you want with your goal or dream, my coaching tip is to assess these 3 elements. Are any of them missing, not clear or defined? Figure out how they can be addressed or strengthened. When you do, you’ll notice the difference and start gaining traction.

What is your deepest dream? It could be to change a habit, develop a skill or achieve success in your life or business. It’s a dream that you have control over and can accomplish. The next question is: Are you taking action on it and headed in that direction? If not, then there’s something that’s holding you back. If you are taking action, but keep finding yourself having to start over, then there’s an element missing that’s creating the loop.

Success rarely happens by accident. It happens by design. Even when chance seems to be involved, there was thought and energy directed towards a dream first. As Seneca, the Roman philosopher, said, “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” When you prepare for success, you know a break when it appears. If you aren’t ready, then you won’t be available when the possibility shows up, and you might not even recognize it.

Success is a lot like a garden. It takes thought, attention and consideration. For instance, you could just throw some seeds onto the ground, forget about them and hope for the best. But for your seeds to sprout and grow, you have to make sure they have the best conditions in which to thrive.

When you have a deep desire to grow and sent out roots in your life, there are three main areas you have to address to achieve your dream. Each of these is vital to the success of your venture. If any of them is missing or hasn’t been created, then you’re unlikely to succeed and your seeds will never have an opportunity to grow.

Vision

“If you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there.” Lewis Carroll

You may have a dream, but no clear vision of making it real. Not only do you have to know exactly what you want, it must be personal for you and compelling enough inspire you to fulfill this dream. If you have no vision of where you’re going, you’ll just float, at the mercy of outer circumstances. The Law of Attraction needs a clear vision to be able to use as a mold and pattern. Without a vision, it will simply use the average of whatever you’re focusing on. To fulfill your dream, decide on exactly what you want to plant, and then plant the seeds for that bush, flower or desire
Mindset
“The outer conditions of a person’s life will always be found to reflect their inner beliefs.” James Allen

This isn’t just about positive thinking, though that’s vital to success. Mindset also includes your beliefs and attitudes about your vision and yourself. Are you afraid you won’t achieve it or maybe that you will? In addition, you need to have incentive and motivation to stay the course. How badly do you want your dream? The Law of Attraction needs you to keep your attention on your vision, so you water it, fertilize it with positive thoughts and weed out any negative beliefs about it.

Plan

“Do not confuse motion and progress. A rocking horse keeps moving but does not make any progress.” Alfred A. Montapert

Without a plan, you could run around in circles, getting no closer to your dream. You could mistake marking items off a to-do list for moving in a specific direction. Also, who or what are making the decisions for you? For example, are other people, crises or what’s immediate determining your priorities? If this is the case, you simply react to events, without making deliberate choices or thinking things through. Are the steps you want to take catered to your needs? If not, then you will avoid taking them. The Law of Attraction needs you to put your energy into what’s important to you. Your actions make sure you schedule watering and weeding, so that your seed has the best setting in which to grow.

If any of these hasn’t been attended to, then sheer chance may result in a few seeds sprouting. But you won’t be able to depend on whether they will or not. With no vision, you might plant dandelion seeds when you want tomatoes. Lacking the right mindset means you let weeds crowd out the plants you want. If you don’t plan to water regularly, then your seeds won’t have the necessary moisture to flourish.

When you address each of these areas, and follow through on your plan, then you’re empowering your vision. You’re giving it the mental, emotional and physical energy it needs to germinate, sprout and grow. By staying on track and paying attention to what you’re doing, you’re taking charge and giving your dream the fertilizer it needs to bloom.
Affirmation:
I now establish what I really want in my life. And I realize that I deserve to have my dream. The Universe wants for me what I want for myself. I decide to take the actions I need to begin moving in that direction. The Universe supports my endeavor and I attract whatever I need to fulfill my desire.

Have you been pursuing a dream, vision or goal, and suddenly hit a brick wall? All of a sudden, your progress has stopped or plateaued. Has that ever happened to you? I think it would be unusual if it hadn’t. Progress rarely is constant or happens in a straight line. Read the accompanying article, 2 Steps Forward, 1 Back… Master the Dance of Change.

Transcript:

Have you been pursuing a dream, vision or goal, and suddenly hit a brick wall? All of a sudden, your progress has stopped or plateaued. Has that ever happened to you? I think it would be unusual if it hadn’t.

Progress rarely in a straight line. It’s like a child learning how to play with building blocks. They put one on top of the other, and but they rarely line up perfectly on top of each other. Instead, they set a few up, and then one or two fall down. It gives you an opportunity to find a better alignment and stability for the ones farther up. Sometimes, every time you set those same blocks, they fall down. It means that there needs to be some adjustment made to progress.

Have you ever been on a diet? If so, you’ll notice this when you’re on a diet, and you plateau on your weight. It’s frustrating, but this is just your body get adjusted to your new normal. Be patient and persistent. Soon, the scale will show lower numbers again.

Progress is like a steep set of stairs. When you climb a few, you have to stop to catch your breath, rest, and let your legs recover. You haven’t reached the top, but having to rest is no excuse to give up and descend back to the bottom. Instead, after you rest, you climb a few more.

Do you have a dream that keeps surfacing, but you haven’t done anything about. It’s something that you really want, daydream about, but don’t take any action on. Don’t abandon it. Pursue it. Learn why failure isn’t an excuse to quit trying, and how to keep going. This video accompanies this month’s article, Say “Yes” to Your Vision.

Transcript:
Do you have a dream that keeps surfacing, but you haven’t done anything about? However, it keeps trying to get your attention, like a persistent itch. It just won’t let you alone.

What will it take for you to decide to scratch that itch, or pursue your dream? Maybe you’ll find that it’s not for you or that it’s not important enough. If so, that’s a signal to let go of that dream and move on to another one.

However, if you fail, get blocked or have a set-back, that’s not a signal to quit. It’s a signal to keep going. Most people don’t succeed the first time they follow through on a vision.

Did you know that, on average, it takes 30 attempts before a person successfully quits smoking? 30. But if a smoker keeps at it, each time, they learn what works for them and what doesn’t. That knowledge is used for the next attempt, and the next, until they’re successful.

On average, an entrepreneur will fail 4 times before they succeed. Being an entrepreneur means you have a learning curve. And you have to have the commitment to keep learning and keep going. Each time you try your chance of succeeding increases.

To begin to fulfill your dream, start taking micro-steps in its direction. It will help you get used to the idea of moving towards it and help create that habit.

Failure, setbacks or obstacles aren’t a signal to quit. If your vision persists, they’re signs to keep going, that you have more to learn. Have the commitment to move forward, to learn and grow, and keep applying that knowledge. Only then will that itch be satisfied.

Do you procrastinate when it comes to taking action towards your vision? If so, you’re unintentionally telling yourself and the Law of Attraction that it’s not important. This diminishes your self-worth and reduces your chance of success. When you avoid your dream, you feel disappointed in yourself and empty inside. You rationalize that “It’s not time,” “I’m not ready,” “It’s too hard,” or “Maybe it won’t live up to my expectations.” So your dream remains out of reach simply because you’ve put it there.

You may think that by not trying, you don’t have to worry about failing. But if you don’t try, you’ve already failed. Committing to your vision isn’t always easy, because you do have to make some hard choices. There are so many possibilities out there for you, and you have to set aside the less important ones, so you can focus on your big dream. But when you say “No” to some of those options, you clarify what you want and start to say “Yes” to your dream.

For instance, when you want to save money towards the down payment of a house, you’ll have to curtail your discretionary spending. You’ll choose to eat out less, go to fewer concerts, and not buy some of the toys you normally would. Because of your vision of owning a home, you’ll prioritize saving money for your house. You’ll be able to do some of those things on special occasions, just not every day, week or month.

If your vision is to be healthier, exercise will be your foundation of this goal. You’ll have to give up sitting on the couch and watching TV or playing video games. A trip to the gym or getting outside for a run becomes more important. When you prioritize your dream, it builds self-esteem and self-respect. You’re showing yourself and the Law of Attraction that what you want counts.

However, dreams and visions aren’t set in stone. They shift and change as you grow and evolve. This is normal. You may find that you’ve outgrown the dream that you’ve had for ten years. For instance, you’ve always wanted to learn pottery. But when you take a class, you discover that you don’t have the patience to mold the clay.

You may start taking action towards your dream, and get steered into another, more appealing direction. For instance, a bookkeeper, which is generally a lonely job, discovers she enjoys interacting with groups and teaching bookkeeping classes. Or a network marketer learns he wants to promote his own products instead. Their original ideas didn’t match their expectations, but led to much more satisfying outcomes. But they never would have found them if they hadn’t followed through on their dreams.

Possibly, you’re trying to change your self-image to fit your dream. For example, you’ve always had a vision of yourself being a body builder, but it wasn’t a strong enough pull to get you to lift weights. Or, you wanted to be the person who played guitar in a band, but never learned to play the instrument. In these cases, it’s time to let go of that dream and say “Yes” to another one.

As you set and achieve the goals that move you forward, other parts of your life will also change. No one section of your life is separate from the others. Shifting one area creates movement in the others. For instance, people expect that when they change a habit, it’ll impact only that area of their life. But changing it affects all aspects of your life through a ripple effect.

When a person quits smoking, it influences most of their life. It alters the way they socialize with some of their friends, such as not smoking with them during breaks. They don’t use cigarettes for stress relief anymore, so they have to find other ways to cope. It changes the way they start and end their day, and everything in between and it improves their health. It’s not easy, but if they have a vision of what they want to accomplish with quitting, then they’ll be successful.

The same is true for someone who wishes to lose weight. If they want to just be able to fit into their swimsuit for summer, they’ll achieve that goal, but gain back the weight over winter. However, if being healthier and more slender is most important, then they’ll completely and permanently change their entire lifestyle.

They’ll eat healthier and begin to exercise. Initially, some people will be offended when they refuse pressure to have second helpings or dessert. But when they stand up for themselves and their health, it builds their self-esteem.

When you start taking steps towards your dream, you shift your mental and physical energy to support what’s most important to you. You’re focusing on what it is you want in your life. And your subconscious mind will begin to scan your world for opportunities to help you. The Law of Attraction will draw to you what you want.

There will probably be obstacles, but there will also be ways around them. Or you may have to take a break or step back to reassess your next move. But the only way to succeed is to keep moving forward. The way to gain clarity about what vision is right for you is to start taking action on it. Prioritize your vision, say “Yes” to it, and begin taking the steps to bring it into reality. You deserve it.

Affirmation:
I have a vision of what I want for myself. What I want for myself, the Universe also wants for me. I’m Divinely Guided in the right direction and to the right actions to fulfill my vision. I’m persistent and consistent and take the steps necessary. All of Life supports me and finds ways to benefit my vision and me.

As a vision strategist, hypnotherapist, and speaker, Linda-Ann Stewart helps women entrepreneurs and small business owners who feel stuck, immobilized and overwhelmed to to get clear, focused and on the fast track to the next level of their business. If you'd like some help to reach your goals, apply for her complimentary "Clarify Your Vision" consultation at http://www.Linda-AnnStewart.com/coaching.shtml